This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing nitride products, such as silicon nitride. In another aspect, the invention relates to the composition of such nitride products.
Various nitride powders, such as silicon nitride, are useful as advanced ceramic materials in the fabrication of highly stressed, wear resistant ceramic parts, such as those employed in heat engines, turbo-charger rotors and heat exchangers. Powders which are used to make such parts must meet stringent particle size (i.e. submicron) and purity requirements. New synthesis methods currently being researched, involving plasma and laser heating of gaseous reactants, for example, are effective in producing submicron, high purity nitride powders, but employ expensive equipment with high energy demands. Thus, these methods may not be practical for economical, large scale synthesis.